Mindful in the Motor City: A Green Guide to Detroit

Can the city that has been the industrial hub of the midwest convert to becoming both auto friendly AND eco friendly?  The rise and fall of Detroit has created an opportunity to reinvent itself, making a space for more sustainability in the city. Once an industry beacon of the US that fell on hard times, the city is reinventing itself and it’s a great time to check out what they’ve been up to. Here is your Detroit city guide to all things responsible & sustainable in the “motor city”. 

Auto Alternatives

Synonymous with the automobile industry, there are other ways to see the city than by car.  The Detroit People mover may not be a complete replacement for driving, but it is a handy way to get you around the downtown business district of the city.  It’s a 3 mile, elevated track with about a dozen stops to place you closer to your next destination.  Alternatively, for .75, you can ride the light rail just once around to get an idea of the city layout and travel by foot. The DDOT has a public transit system that runs through the city and beyond. Want to get to the ‘burbs? SMART system can take you from the city to the outlying towns.

The city’s first bike share program, MoGo is an easy way to move through the city. With over 40 stations and more than 400 bikes, this system is a great way to get around town while keeping your carbon footprint down. The city is predominantly flat so if you aren’t an avid biker, it’s easy, no problem!

See the city from the water! Kayaking on the Detroit River with Detroit River Sports provides a unique perspective on an active way to see the sights. From May to October, you can get in a little work out during your sightseeing.

Fill your Tank

Detroit has a flourishing food scene and could stand up against any foodie city in the US. There is a variety of genres to choose from, you are spoiled for choice when it comes to restaurants that have delicious farm to fork choices.

The hot dog in the midwest with NYC roots.  Because immigrants would come through Ellis Island, the Coney Dog was transplanted to the Great Lakes region.  Many locals however, claim the delicacy originated here, through Greek immigrants.  The American & Lafayette Coney Island Dogs are the two big dog dives with a major history. If you want in on the hot dog action but aren’t a meat eater, Chili Mustard Onions opened for vegans to have a place to satisfy their Coney Island cravings.

Want to combat all that bad eating and drinking habits you’ve had over the weekend? Drought Juices is the answer. Four sisters created a company that provides cold pressed, organic juices to deliver locally sourced, high quality fruit and vegetable juices. They have several locations so you can hydrate after you’ve over indulged.

We’ve eaten Chicago deep dish, we’ve heard of New York style slices and of course devoured famed Naples world famous pies, but did you know that Detroit has their own pizza? The Detroit pizza is a square cut pizza with thick crispy crust and copious toppings. Little Caesars and Dominoes may have corporate headquarters here, however mom & pop shop pizza joints have some pretty spectacular slices. Our favorites are Supinos, Buddy’s, Pie-Sci or NIki’s.

Throw your low carb diet out the window for a moment and enjoy some gluten at Avalon Cafe & Bakery. Their success is simple, using quality organic ingredients and creating being committed to supporting their local community for a healthier, better Detroit. “Eat Well. Do Good.” is more than a motto for this company.

Eastern Market is one of the oldest and largest open air markets that operate year round in the United States. Every week, over 200 vendors gather to share local produce and products, supplying healthy food to Detroiters. The market is open on Tuesdays, Saturdays and Sundays.

Dime Store is the proclaimed American Brunch Bar. On weekends there can be a wait, but it’s worth it! Serving up breakfast, lunch from scratch, this boozy brunch spot has tasty dishes served in a cozy, casual setting.

Parks & Rec Diner is settled on the first floor of an historic building, which was the former home of the Detroit Parks Department. The diner style menu has some gut busting choices with a can’t pass up biscuits & gravy classic. Get a little more creative and ‘build your own’ hash breakfast, crispy hash browns with all the fixings. Their ingredients come from local farms and basically everything is made in house.

Keep Growing Detroit began in 2013 and has been implementing programs to ensure the majority of fresh fruits and vegetables that Detroiters consume are grown by its residents within the city limits. They help novice gardeners become entrepreneurs and community leaders with education series, training programs and resource programs.

You’ll find the Corktown neighborhood is busting at the seams with bars, breweries and restaurants. Find breakfast or brunch there at Brooklyn Street Local, their menu features locally sourced ingredients with a mindset on sustainability. Bobcat Bonnie’s have a nice mix of those midwestern meaty dishes and vegetarian or vegan choices. Visit Ottava Via is a top notch Italian or Takoi for asian fusion dishes.

Rev your engines 

Detroit has activities and events for just about any type of traveler. Music lovers, foodies, art aficionados, Motor City has something for everyone.

Belle Isle Park is a protected state park that offers some iconic views of the city. A nearly 1,000 acre oasis in the city, Belle Isle was created in the late 1800’s to provide a green space in an industrial dynasty. Resting in the Detroit River between the US/Canadian border, Belle Isle provides attractions for everyone. An aquarium, a boat house, a beach or a golf course, a sunny day is easily spent on the island. The Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservancy is a personal favorite, a greenhouse with a collection of rare & exotic plants from around the world.

Public parks & green spaces are making more of an urban impact. Greening of Detroit is an initiative to plant trees in the city to involve the community in neighborhood activities, educate the youth about the environment all while creating a healthy space to live. Hart Plaza is a public park along the water where you can look across the river to your Canadian neighbors. The venue is the perfect spot for festivals, summer concerts and riverfront events.

I have a tendency to stumble on bookstores and libraries while traveling. It happens so frequently that I came up with a list of my favorite epic spots for book lovers and it just so happens that you can find one here in Detroit. John K. King Used & Rare Books is one of the largest in the country with over 1 million books in stock.

Art Scene

The one museum I did not want to miss while visiting was the Detroit Institute of Arts, or the DIA. The famous art couple Diego Rivera and Frida Khalo have a connection to the art history of Detroit. During his time, Rivera was a sought after muralist from Mexico who was commissioned to do work after painting a famous mural in New York for the Rockefellers. Rivera created 27 murals for the city at a courtyard in the DIA.

The Heidelberg Project is an outdoor art project that began as a political protest against the deterioration in the Black Bottom neighborhood after the riots in the late 60’s. Today, the project is seen as a creative outlet towards the future of the city. The mission is to improve the lives of the residents through art.

There are some wonderful pieces of street art around the city. Murals in the Market gives you a virtual look at where some of their street art can be found. Park over at Z Parking Garage and get a gallery style show while parking your car. A 10 level parking structure with 27 murals When you’re exploring around the garage, be sure to head down Belt Ally. Named for its location in the former garment district, the small alleyway is a great example of redevelopment and public art in the city. Beautiful murals peppered between a few restaurants and bars, Belt Alley is one of my favorite secret small streets in the city. Between the Z Garage & Belt Alley, you’ll find a diverse variety with world renown artists.

Architecture

The Art Deco style architecture is found all over the city. Two great examples of this are the famous Guardian and Fisher Buildings. There are free tours of both buildings so you can learn more about what the city was like in the 1920’s and 30’s, the style of skyscrapers for the time period and the history of Detroit during one of it’s most influential periods. Pop into the Guardian building to marvel at the tile work and be sure to walk up the stairs through the lobby to see both rooms. Shop in Pure Detroit to find a local themed souvenir or check out their tours to learn more about the high rise architecture. The NYT wrote an in-depth piece about Albert Kahn, a famous architect known to some as the “architect of Detroit”.

Motown Music & More

Saint Andrews Hall is a city music staple. You may recognize the venue in Eminem’s movie 8 Mile, this music spot is where he got his start. It’s an iconic club with that started in the early 1900’s as a Scottish Social Club and now has its share of legends and up and coming stars.

Motown Museum is an important place in the history of music in America. Hitsville USA as it is otherwise known is one of the more famous stops on the tourist trail in Michigan. Some of the most influential singers and musicians in the 20th century had their start here at Berry Gordy’s record Motown Record Label. The museum shares with visitors memorabilia, photographs and the history of it’s music from the 1950’s until today.

Long Term Parking

Finding eco friendly accommodation in the city seems to be springing up more and more.  There are a few choices in town that check all the eco-friendly boxes.  The El Moore has a unique take on mixing a rental property with a few units for short term guests. Overnight accommodation mixed with permanent residents is a great concept to bring local life to visitors. Sustainability is an important building block at the El Moore, everything from the water, energy sources and building materials are carefully chosen to be as eco conscious as possible.

The El Moore is an undertaking by the Green Garage, a co-working space with sustainability and small business growth as their goals. Green Garage projects are a stellar example of how you can take existing buildings, retrofit them in an eco conscious way and repurpose them to better a community.

Honor & Folly is a boutique hotel in the hip Corktown neighborhood. The guesthouse is a fantastically designed Victorian building and since there are only a couple of rooms, book early to ensure you have a place to rest your head. Also in the neighborhood is Trumbull & Porter , an artsy hotel renovated from a vintage 60’s inn.

A big thank you to my friends at Visit Detroit for pointing me in some sustainable directions and providing me with some help to create a wonderful weekend. A special thanks to my buddy Kelly who poked around town with me. Eating & drinking through the weekend is tough work, but someone has got to do it! As always, the opinions and suggestions are all my own. Start planning your trip to the Motor City today & Pin this article to build your own responsible itinerary to the American Midwest: